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Thread: Reloading ooops

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Reloading ooops

    So i was loading up a bunch of 7mm int-r,i love my lee turret press except for the auto drum powder measure. While rocking the press this thing somehow gradually closes the powder funnel over time. FYI your turn the hopper to open or close the powder opening-GRRRRRRRR cheap screw design!!!
    Anyway, i have about 60 rounds now without proper powder weights. I dont want to slam the hammer unloading 60 times!
    What do you guys use for a bullet puller?
    This looks nice https://grip-n-pull.com
    Or should i buy the hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller. Will this fit my lee single press?
    ???
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I like the RCBS collet puller. Keeping it lubed is key to good function.

    Haven’t used the Hornady, how different can it be?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I have the grip-n-pull and it works just fine.
    ukrifleman

  4. #4
    Boolit Master



    Kevin Rohrer's Avatar
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    Either one works fine.

    And get a real powder measure.
    Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA-Life, ARTCA, American Legion, & the South Cuyahoga Gun Club.

    Caveat Emptor: Do not trust Cavery Grips/American Gripz/Prestige Grips/Stealth Grips from Clayton, NC. He will rip you off.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    farmerjim's Avatar
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    I like the Hornady one. I used it on my Rockchucker when I loaded 200 308's that would not chamber. Pulled the bullet, resized with small base die, put powder and bullet back in and all was fine.
    I have loaded many thousands of 9mm on the lee classic cast turret with the auto drum with no problems.
    There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand

  6. #6
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    You didn't check the powder levels before seating the bullets? Haste makes waste!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    Land Owner's Avatar
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    If you are using CAST boolits, get a side cutter pair of pliers, remove the die from your press, raise the round in the shell holder until the boolit sticks out above the press, grab the boolit with the side cutters, and lower the ram. Works every time and without additional cost to you. Then recast the boolits.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  8. #8
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    I have had the same thing happen to me with a Lee Pro Auto Disk. I put index marks on the hopper in the open and closed positions so I can tell at a glance if the hopper is open, closed or somewhere in between.

    When I bought a Lee Auto Drum I did the same thing.

    The auto drum is turning out to be the most accurate and consistent measure that I own.


    Steve in N CA

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub Daveco's Avatar
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    I noticed that the same thing was going on with my auto drum measure a few days ago when I was reloading some 45 ACP test rounds. It didn't close completely, but far enough to make me concerned.
    On mine, I just snugged up the upside down screw that's on the bottom of the hopper. Tighten it up just enough that the hopper can still be turned to shut off powder flow, but not loose enough to move on it's own from the vibration.
    On pulling the boolits, (if they're cast) a trick that I learned from someone on this forum is to pull the decapping pin from your full length sizing die and run the loaded round up into it. Then the boolit can be pulled out of the case with your fingers or it might require a pair of pliers or wirecutters for a better grip. I only use the whack-a-mole system for j word bullets. Very seldom in my case nowadays - thankfully!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    With any auto powder dispenser make a habit of watching it cycle , and listen for unusual sounds with the auto disk it will warn you it is binding with a loud snap as the disk pops into place before it gets serious.
    When I finish a session I lube the moving metal parts with Hornady one shot and when changing powder settings lube the disk or rotor with graphite , no more problems with a little maintenance . Both are great measures on the LCT

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    My favorite puller was the bonanza / forester super fast, discontinued now but they were excellent pullers. Might be one available on used markets. They were caliber specific though. They were a spring collet set up screw into press install shell holder and insert round, run ram up to where neck just touches collet and pull down pulling bullet. The bullet stays in the collet the next round pushes it out. I have made them nit hard but you need a lathe 1 1/2" round stock and spring steel banding

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    How do you all check the levels before seating a bullet? Just by eyeball? Is there a gauge for that or just make one?
    thanks
    Last edited by Handshaker; 01-28-2020 at 12:09 PM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Handshaker View Post
    How do you all check the levels before seating a bullet? Just by eyeball? Is there a gauge for that or just make one?
    thanks
    Powder check die. Not terribly precise, but it’ll tell you if you’re off by more than 10%. Most of the time I eyeball because I don’t have a free station.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I had a squib in 1970, and since then I look in every case I charge with powder to make sure there is powder in there, no double charges and any charge that looks "off"...

    Even .223/5.56, it is tough, but it can be done. I have had no squibs nor any Kabooms since then...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Land Owner View Post
    If you are using CAST boolits, get a side cutter pair of pliers, remove the die from your press, raise the round in the shell holder until the boolit sticks out above the press, grab the boolit with the side cutters, and lower the ram. Works every time and without additional cost to you. Then recast the boolits.
    I do like Land Owner except I use a set of 10" end nippers that I originally got to trim horses hooves with. Horse is gone, nippers are still here doing a good job. They even work on jacketed.

    Robert

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have some of those from my horses as well. I was looking for something that wouldnt damage jacketed bullets.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    Well i found the solution, i went behind the house into my shop and dug around for something that might work. In my rolling toolbox i had these cable crimpers, tried them out and whalla, works like a charm in my lee single stage press i use only for decapping, 95% of the bullets only have a little mark and are very shootable, the other 5% are still shootable and since i am just plinking, they will be fine. With a little more practice, i am sure i can get better at how much pressure is needed to unseat the bullets and have even fewer marks.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  18. #18
    Boolit Master kmw1954's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Handshaker View Post
    How do you all check the levels before seating a bullet? Just by eyeball? Is there a gauge for that or just make one?
    thanks
    From your 1st post it appears you are loading 7mm bottleneck rounds. Those hold a lot of powder so 1% is a good bit of powder. Small short pistol rounds on the other hand like the 9mm are only using 5gr total, +/- a couple gr depending on powder. On a load of 5gr 1% is only 0.5 and some powders like Titegroup or AA#2 the load spread from start to max is only .3gr... But try this, take a powder like either of those two and measure out 0.5gr and see just how small that is. Then take that same .5gr and add it to a 5.0gr load and see if you can tell the difference. I'll bet not.

    Many times folks post how fast they can go, how many rounds per hour they can produce and I think that's great, 300 rounds an hour when I'm only getting 150 at best. But then I am also weighing every twentieth or so and checking every round as it is coming off the press and then putting them into my little plastic box. So far the only ones I've had to pull apart are the ones I've seated to deep after making an adjustment.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    Well i have learned to measure each one now. I weigh about every tenth one but made a little stick with a line on it to put in each case right after the powder charge. I know its not exact but i am sure it within safe tolerances to shoot. I had about a dozen that have no or little powder when i pulled them all apart. Some only has a few grains, none were over charged, but i would have probably been digging bullets out of the barrel or the scary thought of shooting another round with the previous bullet still in the barrel.
    Lessons Learned...

  20. #20
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    I've had an RCBS press mounted set up for years, works Great on Rifle rounds. Not too well for j-bullets. NOT at all on lead.

    Use an Impact hammer for that. Broke a couple of them, though, use them always. Still have half a box of .357 sitting under my bench to be broken down, bad dillon press/powder measure. Thirty+ years and counting.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check